𝒄𝒐𝒐𝒍 𝒌𝒊𝒅𝒔 - pjo x hp

xxxi. hot tubs and hot springs

𝐈𝐓 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐃 𝐅𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐊. Raya didn't even remember what they were fighting about this time. There were too many fights recently.

They all seemed to blend together.

Every little thing she did seemed to tick Luke off. She'd ask him why he was annoyed, he'd deny that he was annoyed at all, and then they'd yell at each other.

"I don't understand why you couldn't just be at the volleyball match!" he shouted, changing the argument topic.

Raya had controlled the soundwaves so often this summer, it was practically second nature to shut them off to the outside world once they were in a fight. If one good thing came out of this, it was that she was now a pro.

"I don't understand why you're so mad about it!" she responded. "It's been a whole week! We went on a date, we hung out, we made out after that. You didn't seem to care then?!"

"Are you saying I'm just using you?" he scoffed. "That I only want your body, and not the rest of you?"

"And now you're twisting my words," Raya nodded. "Real classic, huh? I'm just asking why you're choosing to get mad about it now, again! We fought about this a week ago, and we made up, and everything was fine! We argued about so many other things since then. Why are you bringing things we've already put past us?!"

"Maybe you've put it past you, but I haven't," Luke argued. "I'm still mad about it."

Raya's mouth fell open, "You have no right to be mad about me for missing your volleyball match. I was healing Astor. He was stabbed, remember?"

"Oh, and that makes him a bigger priority than your boyfriend?" Luke crossed his arms.

"It wouldn't if you fucking acted like one," Raya scowled. "You know, I was losing my mind before Christmas. I thought that you bought me a wonderful little necklace last Christmas and I needed to get something just as meaningful for you this year. I worked for four days — nonstop — to finish the adventure book for you. And you — let alone get me a present, you couldn't even send a thank you letter."

"Some of us have important things to do," Luke said.

Raya stepped back. "You've got to be kidding me. You know, it seems like I'm the only one who can do anything wrong in this relationship. Because the second you do it, it's fine! It doesn't matter, does it? It matters to me! After I didn't get anything from you for Christmas, I was a wreck. It's pathetic to look back at, but I was horrible. I was benched from the game because I couldn't focus."

"It's a stupid school match!"

"And yours was a stupid summer camp match!"

The two of them were breathing heavily, Raya pushing herself upwards to a little get close to Luke's height. Luke's gaze flickered down to her lips.

Raya knew the drill. One of them would move forward — the other meeting them eagerly. They'd kiss and touch and breathe each other in until the anger dissipated. It would be fine for a few days.

Until Raya messed up again.

She thought she couldn't lose Luke's arms, the only place where she could hide. But she knew she had to. She had to force herself to get out, otherwise there would be escaping this vicious cycle.

"I can't," she whispered.

Luke looked confused. They'd done this before, and Raya wasn't following the script.

"What?"

Raya stepped back, "I can't kiss you, and touch you, and — I — I just can't. I can't keep doing this, Luke."